Envelope



May 14, 1935. J, w, BEAR ETAL ENVELOPE Filed Feb. 18, 1933 THIS SIDE FOR OURSELVESTHiS SIDE FOR OTHERS g rwa/wtm JosEPH BE R ""0 REYBORN 12.50am:

Patented May 14, 1935 oFFicE/ ENVELOPE Q -1 E .losephWQBear, RoanokeQand ReybornR. Sub- 1 lette,1Yinton,"Va.', assignors to Double Envelope Corporation, Virginia Roanoke, Va a corporation of Application February 18, 1333, Serial naics zniojj, .f":

1 Claim. (01. 229 so) This invention relates to improvements in means for opening sealed envelopes, and more particularly to single and double envelopes, which may be opened separately or together.

The object of this invention is to provide an envelope which may be produced inexpensively, and which may, after being sealed, be opened with ease and without danger to the contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide single or double envelope such as those used for church collection purposes which may be easily opened, separately or together, by means of one closure flap.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope with a closure flap which facilitates the opening of the envelope without the use of an envelope-opener, knife or other instrument.

The above and other objects will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a rear elevation of a double envelope embodying our invention, the back flap being shown lying in the same plane as the front of the double envelope;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a single envelope embodying our invention, the back flap being shown lying in open position;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of a modified form of a single envelope embodying our invention, the back flap being shown open;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a double envelope showing a cross-section, the double flap being in sealed position; and

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of a single envelope embodying our invention, the back flap being shown lying in the same plane as the front of the envelope after the flap has been snapped up, tearing away with it part of the back of the envelope.

That form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 4 comprises a double envelope 1 pasted together internally along the narrow transverse region 2 and along the ends 3 and 4. The double envelope has a perforated or otherwise weakened line 5 through the pasted region 2, and through the flap 6 as indicated in Figure l and Figure 4, so that the double envelope may be torn apart readily to form separate envelopes. The flap is provided with a gummed strip 1 extending lengthwise and parallel to the fold 8, in order that the flap may be sealed to the marginal zone of the back 9. The flap 6 is provided with an ungummed outer edge l0, so that after the double envelope has been scaled, the

ungummed outer edge of the flap remains free, so that it can readily be grasped in the act of opening the envelope, thus facilitating greatly the opening of the double envelope. The marginal zone of the back 9 is provided with slits H and I2, positioned parallel to the outer edge l3.

The slits H and I2 partially sever the marginal zone 9 from the back of the envelope and when the flap is sealed the gummed strip 1 adheres to the marginal zone so that when the free edge 10 is grasped by the fingers and the flap snapped open, the marginal zone 9,

being in adherence to the gummed strip, is readily torn ofi from the back of the envelope.

Figure 2 illustrates a single envelope 2!] pasted together internally along the ends 2| and 22, and provided with a flap 23 substantially similar to the fiap described in the preceding description, which flap 23 has a gummed strip'24, which when the flap is sealed adheres to the marginal zone 21 between the slit 29 and the outer edge 30. The flap 23 has a free outer edge so that when the gummed strip 24 is in adherence with the marginal zone 21, the free outer edge may be easily grasped by the fingers and the flap snapped open, the marginal zone 21 remaining in adherence to the gummed strip 24 and being torn fromthe back of the envelope.

Another modification of the invention comprises an envelope 3| as shown in Figure 3, pasted together internally along the transverseregions 32, and having an angular shaped sealing flap 33 provided with a gummed strip 34 extending parallel to the edge 35. The flap 33 has an ungummed outer edge 36 so that after theenvelope has been sealed the ungummed outer edge of the flap remains free.

The upper margin of the back 31 is provided with a series of slits 38, preferably parallel to each other and spaced so as to lie beneath the gummed strip 34 when the latter is adhered to the back 31. The series of slits 38 minimizes the resistance offered by the portion of the back in adherence to the gummed strip, so that it tears away with the gummed strip when the flap is pulled open by means of the free edge 36. g

It will be noted from Figure 1 that both sections of the double envelope may be opened simultaneously or that either one of the sections may be opened separately at different times, and that the line of perforations also permits the two sections to be separated entirely, the pasted transverse region 2 constituting a completely sealed envelope. These features greatly add to the value of the invention for increasing the efliciency of church collection work and the like, by furnishing a single or double envelope which may be easily and quickly opened without injury to the contents.

It will be noted further, and particularly as shown in Figure 5, that when the flap is snapped open the portion of the backwhichf'was partially severed by the slits and to which the gummed strip was in adherence when the flap was sealed, has been torn away from the back and remains adhered to the gummed strip, thereby enlarging tom and having an openingat the to'p','the front face having a flap foldable over said opening, said front and back faces being pasted together along a transverse strip forming side byside pockets, said flap and the body of the envelope having a transverse line of weakness extending intermediately along the said pasted strip, the back face. of said envelope having longitudinal slits at a distance fromthe edgeof said opening, and discontinuous over'said pasted strip, said -fiap having a longitudinally extending gummed area: at a. distance from its free edge adapted to contact the back of said envelope between said slits and the edge of the opening, the free part of, said flap" betweensaid gummed area and the "free edge overlying said slits when said envelope is sealed.

. J QSEPH W. BEAR.

-REYZBORN R. SUBLE'I'IE. 

